Recently, as the number of electric and electronic devices equipped within a vehicle, including hybrid vehicles increases, the use of a 42V battery instead of using the existing 12V battery has been developed. In operation, a hybrid vehicle uses an internal combustion engine and an electric motor at the same time. In general, the hybrid vehicle uses electricity to drive while the vehicle is started and also while driving at substantially low-speed. Once the vehicle accelerates or is driven at a substantially constant speed, a gasoline system is used. When the vehicle is driven at the increased speeds, the drive system uses electricity and the gasoline system together and then uses a method of automatically converting from using the gasoline system back to the electric motor at the time the vehicle stops. Due to the extensive use of the electric drive system a hybrid vehicle requires a large-capacity battery.
There are, however, inherent dangers associated with using a large-capacity battery in a vehicle. For example when an accident occurs (e.g., overturning the vehicle, or the like or when an external impact occurs), power is continuously supplied from the battery to the vehicle's electrical components and thus the risk of a short or a secondary fire may be increased.
Since an apparatus for controlling a vehicle battery according to the related art detects a vehicle collision with an electronic impact sensor, the reliability of determining whether to operate the apparatus for controlling a vehicle battery based on performance of the impact sensor and whether the impact sensor is operated may be reduced. Further, the related art for controlling a vehicle battery includes a complicated configuration and requires a substantial number of components, and therefore the cost thereof is substantial.